India’s limited-overs series against Sri Lanka has been rescheduled owing to COVID-19 cases in the Sri Lankan camp. The first ODI, which was supposed to be played on July 13, has been moved to July 17, PTI reported. 

This announcement comes hours after the cricket board in Colombo said that Sri Lanka batting coach Grant Flower and a data analyst were in isolation after testing positive for COVID.

Flower started showing COVID symptoms after returning from England where Sri Lanka played a one-day and Twenty20 international series.

“Batting Coach of the Sri Lanka National Team Grant Flower has tested positive for COVID-19. He was found to be positive during a PCR test carried out on him today when Flower showed mild symptoms of the disease. Immediately upon identification, Flower was isolated from the rest of the team members (players and coaches) who are undergoing quarantine following their return from England,” Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said in a statement.

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Shortly afterward, data analyst G. T. Niroshan also tested positive for the virus and was isolated.

“The Data Analyst of the Sri Lanka National Team, G. T. Niroshan, has tested positive for COVID. He was found to be positive, following a PCR Test carried out among the National Players, Coaches, and Support Staff yesterday, following the identification of Grant Flower as COVID Positive. Niroshan is now undergoing due medical protocols,” SLC said in a statement. 

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Soon after the Sri Lanka team’s return, three players and four support staff members of the England team had also tested positive for COVID.

Three Sri Lankan players were sent back to their home country after their violated their bio-secure bubble in England. They are now are facing disciplinary action.

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Meanwhile, other one-day games between India and Sri Lanka were due to be played on July 16 and July 18. A three-match Twenty20 series was also originally due to start on July 21 and end July 25, but board sources told AFP they were still working on new dates.